Cable clip and clamp



Sept. 28 1926. 1,601,365

' I E. o. KEATOR- CABLE CLIP AND CLAMP Filed June 9. 1925 4W W Mafia" FC M A03 Ev .Patented Sept. 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD o. KEATOR, or DAYTON, OHIO.

CABLE CLIP AND CLAMP.

Application filed June 9, 1925. Serial No. 35,907.

iiciency of its functioning over that of the clips of the same general type has been materially increased without adding to the 0perative mechanism of the clip or the num I ber of parts comprising theclip.

A further object is to produce an improved clip construction in which the improvement in the eiiiciency of the clip is such that'it adapts it to other purposes than those to which the usual clip could possibly be applied, and, in which, such purposes operate to render the clipping operation of secondary importance to the function to which the clip is enabled to be applied by reason of the improved construction which I will now describe.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved clip clamp con struction used as a ground clamp such as is employed in establishing a grounding connection "for the circuits of radio or other electrical apparatus.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing my improved clip clamp construction in use as a device to secure an electric connection or tap from an electric cable or conduit by means of which a feed wire may conveniently be attached to such a conduit without resorting to solder or other troublesome methods of attachment.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing my improved clip clamp construction used for the same purpose as that shown in Fig. 2, but attached in a somewhat "different manner.

Figure 4 is a perspectiveview, upon a slightly enlarged scale, showing an improved form of clip embodying my invention, different from those forms shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. V

Figure 5 is asectional viewshowing to better advantage, the features of novelty embodied in the clip shown in Figure 4.

The improvement I will describe is. ap-

plied to any type of cable clip in'which a base is employed with a lJ shaped bolt to clamp one or more sections between the branches of the U-bolt and the base by means of nuts on the threaded ends of the branches. I have chosen however, one of my own patented clip constructions as an eXam-' ple for illustration of the application of the present invention to a typical cable clip. In

this illustrated embodiment the enlarged views F igs d and 5 show to best advantage a clip consisting of abody 6 having a pair of the other side of a cable receiving channel located between them. Between the wings of each pair are passedthe branches 9 of the U-shaped bolt 10 which carries the tightening-nuts 11. The curve of the bolt also passes'between the wings of each pair 7 and 8 and carries a cam 12 which has a cable engaging face. Thus far I have but'described a well known clip and will now show its application to my invention. Formed as an wings 7. on one side and a pair of wings 8 on extension of the clip bodyis a pin 13 which is supported by side arms 14 and. 15 pro jecting from the clip body. This pin 13 constitutes 'the'single item upon which the gist of my invention depends, and in the drawing I have shown several applications of this idea to difierent purposes.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 I have shown a construction in which the body pin 13 is incorporated with a'clip body having sleeve extensions 16. and 17 through which the threaded branches 18 and 19 of an enlarged U-shaped bolt 20 extend. These branches carry nuts 21 and 22. In the form shown in Figure 1 the U-bolt 10 of the clip is provided with a cam 12, but in Figs. 2 and 3 the cam is omitted and nothing but the U-bolt- 10 is provided to perform the clamping operation as in the older style of'clip. Also,

in the formshown in Figure 1 the ends of,

the branches of the large ,U-bolts are sharpened at points 23 and 24 while in the usage shown in Figures 2 and 3 they are blunt.

In Figure. 1 the particular application of J such a connection by means of the ground clamp I have shown in Figure 1, I first place the clamp in the position it is to occupy and then drive the points 23 and 24c into the metal of the pipe. The surface of the pipe between the two depressions so made, is then cleaned and the ground wire 25 is wrapped around the pipe as shown. The clamp is then brought into position with the main portion as well as the end of the wire lyingin the channel between the side arms 14: and-15 and the pairs of wings forming the sides of the channel. The end of the wire is then passedback and around-the body pin 13, being brought back again into the channel between the wings, where, with the main-portion of the wire it is clamped tightly by the cam being tightened upon the three bights thus lying in the channel. Nuts 21 and 22 are then turned to tighten the clamped wire by moving the sleeves 16 and 17 of the clip body away from the pipe, thus causing the clip to pull upon and to tighten the wrappings of the wire upon the pipe and at the same time tighten the entire'clamp against displacement Electrical contact is assured because of the points 23 and 24 biting into the metal of the pipe and also the many points of intimate contact of the wire with the pipe as well as withthe clip element's. And now, to show the advantage attained by the looping or snubbin-g of the wire around the body pin of the clip, followed by a simultaneous clipping of the snubbed end with the main portion of the wire and that portion of the end which was just laid in the channel. it a strain be placed upon the pipe, the clamp or the wire, there will result a placing of a tension upon the looped or snul bed end of the wire which will tighten it over the body pin and thus operate to tighten not only the clip elements but also the wire upon itself as it were and operate to resist an further slipping tendency so that automatic tighteni-ng is provided up to the tensile strength of the wire itself.

In Fig. 2 I show an application of my improved clamp to use for establishing an electrical tap or connection from an electric conduit or cable 2?. To establish such a connection the U-bolt 20-is wrapped upon the curved or bent portion thereofwith a suiticient number of turns 28- of the feed wire 29 to contact the cable 27 throughout. the complete distance of the contact of the bolt with the cable. The clip body'o" is now placed upon the bolt branches 18 and 19 in a reverse position-.tothat showninaFigurj'e 1, that is, with thesi-de arms-1 1 anc .15 hold ing thebody pin-l rtoward. the-cable instead of away from itasin Figured; The feed wire and its end 30 are then brought into" theclip cable receiving channel, the end- 30 preferably i being: broughtover the body pin as shown. The clip U-bolt 10 is then brought into position over the end 30 and the wire 29 itself and is clamped tightly thereon. It will be seen upon reference to the drawing that the cam 12 as shown in Figure 1 has been omitted in Figure 2. This is but for ourposes of showing how the usual clipping means may be employed in my improved construction. l/Vith both bights of the feed wire thus clipped tightly, the nuts 21 and 22 are turned to push the clip body toward the cable 27, tieeby pressing the side arms 14 and 15, the body pin 13 and the end 30 of the feed w1re into quite intimate contact with the cable while at the same time drawing the windings 28 into equally intimate contact with the cable onits opposite surface. clamping action is so free from slippage and is made increasingly'more and more so as tension is brought to bear by the tightening of nuts 21 and 22, that it may be carried to the strength of the screw threads of the branches 18 and 19 of the U-bolt 20 and of the nuts 21 and 22.

in Figure 3, the identical clamp as shown. in Figure 2, is shown. However, I have shown a dilierent manner of fastening it to the cable 27. In this attachm ntthe feed wire 32, instead of being wrapped around the curved portion of the clamp U-bolt as shown at 28 in Figure 2, is given a few turns about the clip body pin as shown at 81. The wire itself as well as its end 33 are brought into the clip cable channel and the clip Ubolt 10 is tightened upon them. Then placing the clip upon the branches of the clamp U- bolt with the turns 31' against the cable, the nuts 21 and 22 are tightened to press the turns of the feed wire tightly against the strands of the feed cable as shown. Thus intimate contact and consequent electrical connection is established between the cable strands and the feed wire.

ln Figure have shown my improved clip construction in which the side arms and 15 of the body not only carry the body pin 13 but also further extensions 34 and in which a removable bolt 36-1nay be mounted, or between which a unitary pin 37, see Figure 5, is formed. This idea may be carried further in the formation of hooks or other spe lal' forms of means for attaching the improved clip to clevises, poles or other rig 'ing as suggested in Fig. 5.

Having thus described my improved clip I may again bring out the two features which either singly or in conjunction with each other, cooperate with a clip of the usual type or of my own patented constructions, to which referencehas been 1n-ade, inproducing construction which places cable clipsinen rely new-fields of usefulness and with increased etlioie'ncy of functioning of the clip itself; li'r-eter particularlyto the This clipping and CAT function as a unit.

body pin 13 and the additional feature of the clamp U-bolt within the body sleeves 16 and 17. I may also point out that in the clip clamp construction I have disclosed I have produced a structure in which a cable clip has been provided with two completely independent U-bolts, each functioning independently of the other and each performing an entirely different purpose in the operation of the structure as a whole, but in which both purposes are distinctly cooperative with the other to enable the entire clip clamp to Such an improved clip clamp construction is set forth in the following appended claims:

1. A cable clip comprising a body having a cable receiving channel therein, a bolt lug on the body to each side of the channel, a U bolt passing over and across said channel and through the lugs and having tightening means on its ends, side arms extending from the body, and a pin extending between and rigid with the arms, adapted to receive the cable from the channel in looped frictional condition around it.

A cable clip and clamp comprising a ,U- shaped bolt, a body reciprocally mounted on the branches of the bolt, nutsadjustably mounted on the branches, adapted to bring the body into gripping engagement with cables located between the branches, a second U-shaped bolt mounted for reciprocation of its branches in the body at an angle to those of the first mentioned U-shaped bolt, and nuts adjustably mounted on the branches of the second mentioned bolt, adapted to create relative movement of the clip unit comprising the body, the first mentioned bolt, and the cables gripped by the body and the first mentioned bolt, toward and away from the base of the second mentioned U-bolt.

3. A cable clip and clamp comprising a U-shaped bolt, a body slidable thereon, clamping nuts for the ends of the bolt, adapted to move the body into clamping engagement with the bights of a looped cable located between the branches of the bolt, side arms extending from the body in the direction of the cable gripped by the U-bolt,

a pin at the ends of the arms and extendond U -bolt mounted in the body of the clip for reciprocation therein in a plane at an angle to the body of the clip, a pin being located on the body and lying in the plane of the second U-bolt, 'Whereby the cable which is gripped by the clip may be looped about the pin to snub it against slippage in the clip when the second mentioned U-bolt when positioned relatively to an abutment is caused to move the clip in cable tightening direction.

5. A cable clip and clamp comprising a cable clip of conventional form, and a second U-bolt mounted in the body of the clip for reciprocation therein in a plane at an angle to the body of the clip, a pin being located on the body, in extended relation thereto, and lying in a plane substantially parallel with the second U-bolt, the second U-bolt being adapted to embrace an object to which the clip is to be clamped, the pin receiving a loop of the cable which is gripped by the clip, whereby the cable is snubbed against slippage in the clip, and means on the second mentioned U-bolt adapted to move the clip toward the object to which it is to be clamped, whereby the cable loop over the pin will be clamped tightly against the object.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

EDWARD O. KEATOR. 

